Black as he's painted
by Blackie Shell Paws and Furface
Summary: The Black cousins were all very different. But when Sirius goes to Hogwarts and gets sorted, will Bellatrix side with her sisters and cousins? On Hold
1. Chapter 1

**Dedication: **For Shell, Paws and Furface.

**Disclaimer: **I don't/do not/cannot/will not/shall not/can't own Harry Potter. However, I do own my socks.

_I'm not going to bore you with a description, because then you'll fall asleep and you won't be able to read this, so… I'll just stop talking, shall I?_

**Black as he's painted**

_By Blackie_

Blacks were exactly that. Black. Black hair, Black views, Black heart. Anyone who disagreed was disowned.

From the moment he was born, Bellatrix knew he was going to be different. His eyes were a bright blue which reminded her of Dumbledore. He was not quiet and docile, like Narcissa had been, he was not loud and demanding, like she had been. He was the sort of baby who was curious, bright eyes searching everywhere, wanting to know. But every time his wide-eyed stare fell on a member of his family, he would scowl, as if he did not want them there, as if he was quite happy being hugged by Andromeda, the only one of the family who he truly warmed towards.

They only let Andromeda see Sirius because she was the one he liked best. He fell asleep in her arms, black hair flopping over his eyes, slowly rising and falling as he breathed in and out. He liked Narcissa too; he liked it when she played games with him. He liked the three year old. He liked the five year old. He hated the seven year old Bellatrix, who peered at him over the cot, who poked and prodded him as if she had never seen a baby before. He hated bedtime, knowing that it was a whole day before he would see his beloved cousin again.

But his parents still maintained that he was a slytherin. Even when he met a snake and tried to hit it. Even when he scorned the silver and green shiny rattle for the tattered red bear. They still said he was a slytherin. They still said he was a Black.

*****

"Do you have to go, Dromeda?" the six-year old asked his favourite cousin. They were standing in the polished, shiny platform of the Hogwarts Express. The small cluster of children standing away from their parents was not attracting attention, as they were the Black children. Bellatrix, only in her second year, was as imposing and arrogant as she would grow up to be. Narcissa, the small blonde, nine years old, was hopping from one foot to the other, watching her parents with one eye, three year old Regulas holding her hand. Sirius, hands on hips was looking at Andromeda and Bellatrix with big, round, pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry, Siri. But it's Hogwarts. I can't not go!"

"Yes you can," said Sirius stubbornly. But he was not going to get his way with this.

"Sirius, you're acting like a baby. People are staring!" Bellatrix's sharp voice rang out. In truth, no one was watching the five children, everyone was saying their goodbyes and chatting to friends, but the words had immediate affect on the Blacks. Narcissa straightened slightly, letting go of Regulas's hand. Regulas's thumb left his mouth, Sirius's hands dropped and Andromeda tried to straighten her skirt.

"Andromeda! Bellatrix! Regulas! Narcissa! Sirius!" Walburga Black, mother of the two boys, was striding up to them, looking cross. People looked at her, hearing her loud voice and snickering at the children's fancy names. "The train is going to leave in two minutes. Andromeda, Bellatrix, get on the train!" Andromeda looked sadly at her little sister and her two cousins. Bellatrix said 'Goodbye' curtly, and hurried to the train.

"Goodbye, Cissy," said Andromeda, giving her sister a quick kiss.

"Goodbye, Reggie. You'll be a good boy for Andie, won't you?" Regulas nodded slowly, in the way that only three year olds could. He held out his green elephant for Andromeda.

"Take."

"You want me to have your elephant? No, darling, you look after her for me, okay?" Regulas nodded again.

"Sirius?" Sirius turned to her, eyes brimming with tears. She pulled him close. "You'll be good, right?"

"You'll write to me everyday?"

"Of course, Sirius."

"ANDROMEDA! GET ON THE TRAIN!"

Andromeda ran to the train. Sirius, Regulas and Narcissa waved goodbye.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" asked Sirius doubtfully.

"Of course," said Narcissa softly. "Of course."

*****

The days spent while Bella and Andie were at Hogwarts were long and dreary. Narcissa was good fun, of course, but she was a girl. Reggie was only small, and was considered not big enough to play properly. They received many letters from Andromeda, around one a month from Bellatrix. The one all three found the most memorable was the letter they received from Andromeda saying that she had been sorted into Ravenclaw.

_Dearest Cissa, Siri and Reggie,_

_I'm here! I'm actually finally here! I can't believe it! As soon as I got onto the train I met Lucius Malfoy (Yuck!). He kept rabbiting on about how 'we pure-bloods must stick together against the horrible 'mud-bloods'. That's muggle-borns by the way. I know mother and father, and aunty Walburga and uncle Orion hate muggle-borns, but I actually quite like them. _

_ Anyway, I soon shrugged off Malfoy, and we got to Hogwarts. The halls- the halls were AMAZING! They were so pretty; I have enclosed a drawing for you to see. My sorting was great, guess where I am! I was put in RAVENCLAW! Not slytherin! I wonder what the grown-ups will say? Bellatrix is being passably nice to me- I suppose Ravenclaw isn't quite as bad as if I was put in Hufflepuff or in Gryffindor. _

_ I hope you're having fun! _

_Lots of Love, _

_Andie_

_Xxx_

*****

Sirius Black was going to Hogwarts. He was going to Hogwarts! To the place which he had always dreamed of. He was actually sitting on the plush seats of the carriage, actually looking out on to the platform, not gazing at his cousins in the train! It was just like he thought it would be.

He reached up and got an intricate leather photo album out of his trunk. He opened it and gazed at the pictures. Andie was smiling out of the picture, Reggie sitting on her shoulders, Narcissa holding Andie's hand. Bellatrix was skulking near the side, scowling at the grinning others.

Just as he was putting the album away, an untidy head peered in at the door.

"Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure," said Sirius. The boy gestured behind him, and he and two other boys walked into the compartment.

The untidy boy was dark haired and hazel-eyed. He wore thin rimmed glasses, and his eyes looked mischievous and bright. The second boy was tall, thin and tired-looking. He had brown hair, and golden eyes. There was a long scratch on his left arm. The last boy was short, tubby and squinty. He looked like a rather large ball of dough. They sat down oppostie

"Hi. What house do you want to be in?"

"I'm James Potter, and I'm going to be in Gryffindor! Like my Dad."

"Peter Pettigrew! I really want to be in Gryffindor too! I heard that Dumbledore was in there!"

"Remus Lupin. Ravenclaw," said the boy quietly.

"Cool!" said Sirius enthusiastically, "I'm Sirius Black. I'm not sure what house I want to be in. My parents want me to be in Slytherin, but I think Ravenclaw would be best, like my cousin Andie."

James's expression changed from one of friendliness to one of hate and disgust.

"You're a Black?"

"Yeah. Hey, what's the matter?"

"You're a Black. Blacks are the lowest of the low. Go away."

"This is my compartment!"

"Well, we're here now. Leave us alone."

Sirius left, feeling miserable and hurt. He went to find Andromeda. His cousins had arrived before he had, so he hadn't seen them yet. Going down the side of the train he saw a bright blonde figure leaning on the wall. He looked predatory, as if he was waiting for the dark-haired first year. The boy turned and grinned creepily at him.

"Sirius Black?"

"That's me," Sirius answered nervously. No one apart from the boys who had kicked him out of his compartment had bothered to talk to him.

"The name's Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy,"

"That's, er, nice."

"Want to be in Slytherin?"

"I suppose…" Malfoy interrupted Sirius's doubtful reply.

"Good. Don't want to mix with dirty mudbloods, do we?" Malfoy's handsome features contorted as if even the thought of a muggleborn was deep disgrace.

"Errr…no?"

"Good. I'll see you in Slytherin, Black." With that, the boy turned and walked away down the corridor.

"Dromeda?" He said tentatively.

"Siri? What's the matter?" She was sitting with her friends, but got up and went to him when she saw his face.

"Why do people hate me because I'm a Black?"

"Oh," she said. She scowled. "It's a pity you met some of those people on your first train trip."

"What?" She knelt down to his level.

"Some people think that because my parents and your parents hate muggle-borns, we hate them too. So people don't like us."

"But people like you!"

"They got to know me. And I'm in Ravenclaw."

"So I should be in Ravenclaw?"

"People will like you where ever you go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now go and change into your robes. We'll be arriving soon."

"Yes Dromeda."

Andromeda smiled sadly as he ran down the corridor. He had a lot to learn.


	2. Chapter 2

**Dedication: For my cat, who is looking after me because I may hurt myself if I do anymore crazy dancing. **

**Disclaimer: To own Harry Potter, or not to own Harry Potter. To which the answer is 42. And that I don't own Harry Potter. Or The Hitch hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.**

_**Hey everybody. Blackie here. We finished our exams today, yay! Anyway, on with Chapter 2.**_

**Black as he's painted**

_By Blackie_

Whatever Andromeda had written in her letters, whatever breathtaking drawings she had send home with her tawny owl, nothing, nothing could have prepared him for this.

They had come by boat. Cissa had told him about the boats. But then, Cissa got sea-sick, so she was confident that every one else was sea-sick too. That's what Narcissa did. When in doubt, blame the rest of the world. Sirius had got into the boat with a brother and sister who said their surname was Macmillan and a small blond girl who called herself Jemima Malfoy. The Macmillians looked at her in disgust when she said her name. Sirius had shivered. Would people treat him like he was something that should be stamped on whenever he announced himself in public?

The small first years huddled together in the cold Entrance Hall. Sirius could see Potter, Pettigrew and Lupin standing near each other, Poter talking animatedly with Pettigrew, Lupin trying to look like he didn't exist. Many people had come up to Sirius, then quickly sidled away when they saw who he was. Two girls; sisters, if not twins, were standing close, whispering to each other.

A tall woman in green robes marched up to them. Sirius shrank behind Jemima Malfoy. She smirked at him, and suddenly he made the connection between her surname and the boy he'd been accosted by on the coach. This girl must be Malfoy's younger sister. He glared at her, and she glared back.

"Ehem." The tall witch coughed, causing Sirius to turn quickly back to her.

"My name is Professor McGonagall. Welcome to Hogwarts." She smiled warmly at them all. Then her eyes fell upon Sirius and the Malfoy girl and her smile became slightly forced.

"Hogwarts will soon become your home. In a few moments we shall enter the Great Hall and you shall be sorted. Your house, which you will be sorted into will become your family. I expect-," her voice continued monotonously as Sirius resumed his glaring match with the Malfoy girl.

"It is time." The words caught Sirius's attention as the large wooden doors swung open. A sea of expectant faces stared at he and the other first years as the long line began to shuffle forward. Lucius Malfoy, looking even more aristocratic than ever, could be heard saying loudly "My sister, of course, my younger sister, Jemima Malfoy, of course she will be in Slytherin." Jemima Malfoy blushed and looked at the floor as James Potter glared daggers at her. Sirius felt a sudden stab of sympathy, then quickly looked away.

McGonagall walked up onto a large platform where a small, rickety stool was placed, with an old, patched hat balancing precariously on top of it. She unrolled a long piece of parchment and read out a name.

"Abbot, Johnathon." A small boy with bright red hair ran up and jammed the hat onto his head. The hat paused for a moment, before shouting "HUFFLEPUFF!" The names was slowly read out, Sirius becoming increasingly more bored with each one, until:

"Black, Sirius!" Whispers and muttering filled the halls. Sirius blushed, and scrambled onto the stool. It fell over his ears, and the sounds of the hall became muffled and quiet.

_Hello, Mr Black. Now, where shall you go?_

Hello?

_Oh yes. Good Evening. Hmmm…_

Um, not to sound rude or anything, but who are you?

_Politeness, yes, a Hufflepuff quality… but oh! A dislike of… yes… I see now…_

Hello?

_Not now, dear boy, not now. Goodness, you are in a hurry, aren't you. Such a good quality of Air…_

What?

_Hmmm. Better be…_

"GRYFFINDOR!" The noises stopped. Sirius slowly pulled the hat off his head to see everyone staring at him in various stages of disbelief.

"Go, to your new house, Mr Black," McGonagall said, her lips pursed. He walked to the table where the people wearing red and gold sat. No one made room for him. He squeezed onto the end as McGonagall cleared her throat and said

"Brenner, Emerald." As one of the sisters he's seen in the hall walked up nervously, he saw that James Potter was still glaring at him from his place in the line. As Emerald Brenner was made a Gryffindor and her sister Ruby walked up, everyone made room for her.

It seemed that being a Black did not do much for your reputation.


End file.
